- Last week, the wildly popular game “Fortnite” received an update on Apple and Android smartphones that allowed players to bypass the companies’ digital payment systems. Instead of going through Apple and Google, payments went directly to the studio “Fortnite”, Epic Games.
- In response, Apple and Google pulled “Fortnite” out of their digital store fragments, citing the update as a violation of the countermeasure – causing Epic to sue both companies.
- In a new legal move, Apple revealed that Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney sent a 2-hour statement about war to Tim’s CEO and other Apple executives. “I’m writing to tell you that Epic will no longer comply with Apple’s restrictions on Apple’s payment processing,” Sweeney said. “We choose to follow this path in the firm belief that history and law are on our side.”
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Apple and “Fortnite” maker Epic Games are in the opening stages of a hot legal battle, which began with “Fortnite” being pulled from Apple’s iPhone and iPad App Store last week.
In the latest legal submission, Apple disclosed an email sent by Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney to Apple CEO Tim Cook and several other Apple executives. Sweeney sent the email at 2 a.m. PT, outlining Epic’s plan to cut Apple from payments in “Fortnite” on iPhone and iPad.
“I’m writing to tell you that Epic will no longer comply with Apple’s restrictions on Apple’s payment processing,” Sweeney wrote. “Today, Epic launches direct payments in ‘Fortnite’ on iOS, offering customers the option to pay in-app via Epic direct payments or through Apple payments, and pass on Epic direct payments savings to customers in the form of lower prizes. “
The move to overhaul Apple’s App Store was a direct violation of Apple’s service agreements with app developers. Epic knew this, according to Sweeney’s letter, but went independent because of “the firm belief that history and law are on our side.”
After the upgrade to “Fortnite” which included the ability to pay Epic directly, Apple removed the game from the store and took the developers contract from Epic. Instead of buying virtual money in the game (“V-bucks”) through Apple or Google, players could buy it directly from Epic – with a 30% discount, no less.
Apple and Google said the update was a service violation for a developer with an app in the App Store or Google Play.
Upcoming updates to the game are not allowed, and there is no way to download it unless you have previously downloaded it to your Apple account. When the next major content update of the game arrives on August 27, “Fortnite” players on iPhone and iPad will be left behind.
After Epic filed a lawsuit against Apple last week, the company followed up by filing a temporary restraining order against Apple to stop the company from deleting, writing off, refusing to list or otherwise making
the app ‘Fortnite,’ including any update thereof is not available. “
For its part, Apple says the problem is Epic’s need to be fixed.
“We want to keep the company very much as part of the Apple Developer Program and its apps in the Store,” a Business Insider representative told earlier this week. “The problem that Epic has created for itself is one that can be easily remedied if they submit an update to their app that reimburses them to meet the guidelines they have agreed upon and that apply to all developers. . “
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